Reclining article of furniture



Dec.,30, 1947. A. LORENZ 2,433,520

RECLINING ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed Mardh l, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR A/vralv LORENZ ATTORNEY Dec. 30, 1947. A. LORENZ 2,433,520

RECLINING ARTICLE 0]? FURNITURE Filed March 1, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Azv'rau LORENZ BY ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 30, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RECLINING ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Anton Lorenz, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application March 1, 1945, Serial No. 580,377

11 Claims. (Cl. 155-106) My invention relates to articles of furniture,

'and more particularly to a reclining article of furniture wherein the seat and the back-rest form movable links of a polygonal compound linkage swingably mounted on a support, a portion of the latter forming the stationary link of said linkage.

An object of the present invention is to provide a reclining article of furniture wherein the change in the angle between the back-rest and the seat during a movement of said members may be readily adapted to the requirements of users of the article of furniture.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a reclining article of furniture of above described type with means, by which the user of the article of furniture may alter the inclination of the back-rest while the seat is held in a predetermined position.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a reclining article of furniture of above described type with means, by which the user of the article of furniture may alter the inclination of the seat while the back-rest is held in a predetermined position.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a reclining article of furniture of above described type with means, by which the user of the article of furniture may alter the degree of the change in the inclination of the back-' rest from the sitting position into the extreme reclining position while the degree of the change in the inclination of .the seat from the sitting position into the extreme reclining position remains substantially unchanged.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a reclining article of furniture of above described type with means, by which the user of the article of furniture may alter the degree of change in the inclination of the seat from the sitting position into the extreme reclining position while the degree of the change in the inclination of the back-rest from the sitting position into the extreme reclining position remains substantially unchanged.

Still another object of the present invention is to improve a reclining article of furniture as now ordinarily made.

'With the above and other objects of the invention in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of various devices, elements and parts, as set forth in the claims hereof, certain embodiments of the same being described in the specification and being illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an adjustable desk chair according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the desk chair shown in Fig. 1, taken on line 22, a portion of the seat being broken away,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of an adjustable reclining chair with a leg-rest according to the invention,

Fig. 4 is a sectional View of a locking device arranged on the chair shown in Fig. 3 taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, in an enlarged scale,

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of an adjustable reclining chair according to the invention, and

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of still another embodiment of an adjustable reclining chair according to the invention.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, II) generally indicates a pedestal of a desk chair, which may be of any conventional type. A supporting member I2 comprising a cross bar I4 and an extension I6 having an arm I8 on each side of the chair is carried by a spindle 20 screwed into a threaded bore of the pedestal I0.

As best shown in Fig. 1, the rear end portion of a seat 38 is pivoted to the support I2 at 24. On each side of the chair, the lower end portion of a controlling link 46 is pivoted to said seat at 42. The upper end portion of said controlling link is pivotally connected at 44 with a guiding link 26. The lower end portion of said guiding link 26 is pivoted to the cross bar I4 of the support I2 at 28 at a point spaced from the pivotal connection 24 between the seat 38 and the support I2. Said seat 38, said controlling link 40, said guiding link 26 and the stationary portion of the support I2 between the pivotal connection 28 of the guiding link 26 with the support and the pivotal connection 24 of the seat 38 with the support I2 form the links of a four-bar linkmechanism.

The lower end 36 of a back-rest 22 is pivoted to the seat 38 at 24 in coaxial alignment with the pivotal connection between the seat 38 and the support I2. On each side of the chair, the rear end of a connecting link 30 constituting an arm-rest is pivoted to an intermediate point 32 of said back-rest 22 above the pivotal connection 24 between the back-rest 22 and the seat 38. The front end of each connecting link 30 is pivotally connected at 34 with an extension 96 of the guiding link 26. According to the drawings, said extension 96 of the guiding link 26 projecting beyond the pivotal connection 44 of the guiding link 26 with the controlling link 40 is integral with said guiding link.

As will be apparent from above, the seat 38 and the back-rest 22 form movable links of a polygonal compound linkage comprising the movable links 38, 40, 26-96, 30, 36 and the stationary portion 2B-24 of the support.

When the user of the chair leans the weight of his body against the back-rest 22 so as to bring same into the reclined position shown in dash and dot lines, the seat 38 is lifted by means of the movable members of the chair connected therewith are firmly held in their position.

If the members of the chair are connected with each other as shown in Fig. 3, the members may be held in any desired position by tightening either one of said two locking devices 350 or 380.

If the user of the chair wishes to have the back-rest at a different angle relative to the seat when the latter is in a certain position, he may hold the seat in said certain position by a tightening of the locking device 380. The other looking device 35!! remains in loose condition. Now the user of the chair may change the position of the pivotal connection 344 between the connecting link 330 and the guiding link 326 by inserting the pin 334 into another hole of the series of holes 354, whereby the angle between the back-rest 322 and the seat 338 may be changed.

When the user of the chair wishes to have the seat in a different position relative to the backrest when the latter is in a certain reclined position, the back-rest is held in said position by a tightening of the locking device 350 while the locking device 388 remains in loose condition. Now the user of the chair may bring the seat into a different position relative to the back-rest by altering the position of the pivotal connection 342 and/or 344 by inserting the respective pins into another hole of the series of holes 356, 358 and/ or 36!].

Above described change in the position of the back-rest 322 and/or the seat 338 causes a change in the degree of change of angularity between the back-rest and the seat during a movement from the sitting position into the reclined position. If the back-rest alone is adjusted in a different position, the degree of change of the inclination of the seat will remain substantially unchanged. If the seat alone is adjusted in a different position, the degree of change of the inclination of the back-rest will remain substantially unchanged.

In a similar manner, a change of the position of the pivotal connections 310 and/or 314 by inserting the pins in difierent holes results in a change in the movement of the leg-rest 362 relative to the seat 338.

According to the embodiment of a chair, shown in Fig. 5, the support 5l2 comprises two side bars 5, 513 of tubular material, one on each side of the chair, which are connected with each other by a bracing member 5l5 and are mounted on a base member 5!! of an integral piece of tubular material by welding, for example. The rear end of the seat 538 is swingably mounted on the support 5l'2 at 524. On each side of the chair, the lower end portion of a controlling link 540 is pivoted to the seat 538 at 542. The upper end portion of said controlling link 548 is pivoted at 544 to the upper end of a guiding link 526, the lower end of which is pivoted to the support 5l2 at 528 at a point spaced from the pivotal connection 524 between the support 5l2 and the seat 538. The seat 538, the controlling link 540, the guiding link 526 and the stationary portion of the support 5l'2 between the pivots 528 and 525 form a four-bar link mechanism.

The back-rest 522 is swingably mounted at 524 on the seat 538 in coaxial alignment with th pivotal connection of the latter with the support 542. On each side of the chair, the rear end portion of a connecting link 538 is pivoted to an intermediate point 532 of the back-rest 522 in a plane above the plane of the seat 538. The front end of the connecting link 53!! is pivoted at 534 to an intermediate point of the guiding link 526 between the pivotal connection 544 of the guiding link 526 with the controlling link 540 and the pivotal connection 528 of the guiding link 526 with the support M2.

The sitting position of the movable members of the chair is limited by a stop 546 mounted on the support 512 for cooperation with the seat 538. When the back-rest 522 is swung about its pivot 524 into the extreme reclined position limited by an abutment of the back-rest 522 against the stop 548 mounted on the support 5l2, the movable members of the chair are likewise brought into a reclined position as shown in dash and dot lines in Fig. 5.

The mechanism of the chair shown in Fig. 6 substantially corresponds to the mechanism of the chair shown in Fig. 5. In Fig. 6, 622 indicates the back-rest, pivotally connected with the seat 638 and the support 6l2 at 624. 626 indicates the guiding link pivoted to the support at 628. One end of the connecting link 636 is pivoted to the back-rest at 632, the other end of said connecting link is pivoted to an intermediate point of said guiding link 626 at 634. 640 indicates the controlling link, one end of which is pivoted to the seat 638 at 642, the other end of which is pivoted to the upper end 696 of the guiding link 626 at 644. In contrast to the showing of Fig. 5 the guiding link 626 of the chair shown in Fig. 6 is in the shape of a bent link. During a movement of the back-rest 622 from its sitting position into the reclined position shown in dash and dot lines, the seat 638 is brought into the reclined position shown in dash and dot lines.

Above described Fig. 6 illustrates a further modification of the mechanism according to the invention by the use of a bent link for the guiding link 626, whereby a further variation in the degree of the change of the angle between the back-rest and the seat during a movement thereof from the sitting position into the reclined position is rendered possible.

The sitting position of the movable members of the chair shown in Fig. 6 is limited by the upper edge of the support 612 against which the seat 638 comes to a rest. The extreme reclined position of th movable members of the chair is limited by a stop 643 mounted on the support M2 for cooperation with the back-rest 622.

I have described preferred embodiments of my invention, but it is understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration, that the invention may also be applied to various other types of reclining articles of furniture, such as garden chairs, chairs for use in railroad cars, chairs for use in airplanes. sofas, lounges, etc., and that various omissions or changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those, herein shown and described, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A reclining article of furniture, comprising; a support, a seat pivoted to said support at its rear end portion, a guiding link, th lower portion of said guiding link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, a controlling link, the lower portion of said controlling link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper end portion of said controlling link being pivoted to the upper portion of said guiding link, said seat, said controlling link, said guiding link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the guiding link with the support and of the seat with the support forming the links of a four-bar linkmechanism, a back-rest, said back-rest being pivoted to the rear portion of said seat, and a connecting link, the rear end of said connecting link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest above the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the seat, and the front portion of said connecting link being pivoted to a point of the guiding link spaced from its pivotal connection with the controlling link.

2. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a seat pivoted to said support at its rear end portion, a guiding link, the lower portion of said guiding link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, a controlling link, the lower portion of said controlling link being pivoted to the front portion of said sheet, the upper end portion of said controlling link being pivoted to the upper portion of said guiding link, said seat, said controlling link, said guiding link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the guiding link with the support and of the seat with the support forming the links of a four-bar link-mechanism, said guiding link having an extension projecting beyond its pivotal connection with the controlling link, a back-rest, said back-rest being pivoted to the rear portion of said sheet, and a connecting link, the rear end of said connecting link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest above the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the seat, and the front portion of said connecting link being pivoted to said extension of the guiding link.

3. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a seat pivoted to said support at its rear end portion, a, guiding link, the lower portion of said guiding link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, a controlling link, the lower portion of said controlling link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper end portion of said controlling link being pivoted to the upper portion of said guiding link, said seat, said controlling link, said guiding link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the guiding link with the support and of the seat with the support forming the links of a four-bar link-mechanism, a back-rest, said back-rest being pivoted to the rear portion of said seat, and a connecting link, the rear end of said connecting link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest above the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the seat, and the front portion of said connecting link being pivoted to an intermediate point of the guiding link between its pivotal connections with the controlling link and the support.

4. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a seat pivoted to said support at its rear end portion, a guiding link, the lower portion of said guiding link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, a controlling link, the lower portion of said controlling link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper end portion of said controlling link bing pivoted to the upper portion of said guiding link, said seat, said controlling link, said guiding link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the guiding link with the support and of the seat with the support forming the links of a fourbar link-mechanism, a back-rest, said back-rest being pivoted to the rear portion of said seat in coaxial alignment with the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, and a connecting link, the rear end of said connecting link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest above the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the seat, and the front portion of said connecting link being pivoted to a point of the guiding link spaced from its pivotal connection with the controlling link.

5. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a seat pivoted to said support at its rear end portion, a guiding link, said guiding link being in the shape of a bent link, the lower portion of said guiding link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, a controlling link, the lower portion of said controlling link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper end portion of said controlling link being pivoted to the upper portion of said guiding link, said seat, said controlling link, said guiding link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the guiding link with the support and of the seat with the support forming the links of a four-bar link-mechanism, a back-rest, said back-rest being pivoted to the rear portion of said seat, and a connecting link, the rear end of said connecting link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest above the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the seat, and the front portion of said connecting link being pivoted to a point of the guiding link spaced from its pivotal connection with the controlling link.

6. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a seat pivoted to said support at its rear end portion, a guiding link, the lower portion of said guiding link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, a controlling link, the lower portion of said controlling link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper end portion of said controlling link being pivoted to the upper portion of said guiding link, said seat, said controlling link, said guiding link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the guiding link with the support and of the seat with the support forming the links of a fourbar link-mechanism, a back-rest, said back-rest being pivoted to the rear portion of said seat, a connecting link, the rear end of said connecting link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest above the pivotal connection between the baok-rest and the seat, the front portion of said connecting link being pivoted to a point of the guiding link spaced from its pivotal connection with the controlling link, and means whereby the eifective length of said guiding link may be varied and adjusted.

7. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a seat pivoted to said support at its rear end portion, a guiding link, the lower portion of said guiding link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, a controlling link, the lower portion of said controlling link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper end portion of said controlling link being pivoted to the upper portion of said guiding link, said seat, said controlling link, said guiding link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the guiding link with the support and of the seat with the support forming the links of a four-bar link-mechanism, a back-rest, said back-rest being pivoted to the rear portion of said seat, a connecting link, the rear end of said connecting link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest above the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the seat, the front portion of said connecting link being pivoted to a point of the guiding link spaced from its pivotal connection with the controlling link, and means whereby the elfective length of said controlling link may be varied and adjusted.

8. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a seat pivoted to said support at its rear end portion, a guiding link, the lower portion of said guiding link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, a controlling link, the lower portion of said controlling link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper end portion of said controlling link being pivoted to the upper portion of said guiding link, said seat; said controlling link, said guiding link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the guiding link with the support and of the seat with the support forming the links of a four-bar linkmechanism, a back-rest, said back-rest being pivoted to the rear portion of said seat, a connecting link, the rear end of said connecting link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest above the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the seat, the front portion of said connecting link being pivoted to a point of the guiding link spaced from its pivotal connection with the controlling link, and means whereby the effective length of said connecting link may be varied and adjusted.

9. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a seat pivoted to said support at its rear end portion, a guiding link, the lower portion of said guiding link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, a controlling link, the lower portion of said controlling link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper end portion of said controlling link being pivoted to the upper portion of said guiding link, said seat, said controlling link, said guiding link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the guiding link with the support and of the seat with the support forming the links of a four-bar link mechani m, a back-rest, said back-rest being pivoted to the rear portion of said seat, in coaxial alignment with the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, a connectin link, the rear end of said connecting link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest above the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the seat, the front portion of said connecting link being pivoted to a point of the guiding link spaced from its pivotal connection with the controlling link, and locking means associated with at least two members of the article, at least one of said members being a, member of the linkage comprising said guiding link, said connecting link and the back-rest for locking said I of the guiding link with the support linkage with the back-rest in a. predetermined position.

10. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a seat pivoted to said support at its rear end portion, a guiding link, the lower portion of said guiding link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, a controlling link, the lower portion of said controlling link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper end ortion of said controlling link being pivoted to the upper portion of said guiding link, said seat, said controlling link, said guiding link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections and of the seat with the support forming the links of a four-bar link-mechanism, a back-rest, said back-rest being pivoted to the rear portion of said seat, a connecting link, the rear end of said connecting link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest above the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the seat, the front portion of said connecting link being pivoted to a point of the guiding link spaced from its pivotal connection with the controlling link, a leg-rest swingably mounted on the front portion of the seat, and means for controlling the movements of said leg-rest in dependence on the movements of a movable member of the article.

11. A reclining article of furniture, comprising: a support, a seat pivoted to said support at its rear end portion, a guiding link, the lower portion of said guiding link being pivoted to said support at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between the seat and the support, a controlling link, the lower portion of said controlling link being pivoted to the front portion of said seat, the upper end portion of said controlling link being pivoted to the upper portion of said guiding link, said seat, said controlling link, said guiding link and the stationary portion of the support between the pivotal connections of the guiding link with the support and of the seat with the support forming the links of a four-bar link-mechanism, a back-rest, said back-rest being pivoted to the rear portion of said seat, a connecting link, the rear end of said connecting link being pivoted to an intermediate point of said back-rest above the pivotal connection between the back-rest and the seat, the front portion of said connecting link being pivoted to a point of the guiding link spaced from its pivotal connection with the controlling link, a downward extension rigidly connected with said back-rest, a leg-rest swingably mounted on the front portion of the seat, a controlling member, said controlling member being pivoted at one of its ends to said downward extension of the back-rest and at its other end to said legrest, and means whereby the effective length of said controlling member may be varied and adjusted.

ANTON LORENZ.

REFERENCES orrnn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 652,801 Moore July 3, 1900 2,353,838 Lorenz July 18, 1944 

